Church of Saint Michael

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Considered as the most important Jesuit Church in Belgium (1650-1666) it was conceived by the Antwerp Jesuit Guillaume Hesius. The building has been entirely restored as only the façade escaped disaster in 1944.This grandiose Baroque façade, described as being “the altar on the outside of the church”, is one of the seven wonders of Louvain.

Ornamental sculptures dominate the interior. The ensemble of sculptured woodwork is astonishing, of which the eight confessionals linked by a high oak wainscoting is a good example. The Louis XV style pulpit comes from Saint Michael’s cathedral in Brussels. The altar is beautiful with “the appearance of the Virgin to Saint Thomas Aquinas”.

Today the church gives services in Spanish and serves as a setting for artistic initiatives.